Prabowo Appoints New Disaster Chief Amid Corruption Probe and Haze Crisis

President Prabowo Subianto has appointed Lt.-Gen. Kristomei Sianturi as the new head of the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB), replacing Suharyanto. The appointment on October 15 came one day after the outgoing chief's younger brother was arrested over alleged corruption involving emergency relief funds. The 50-year-old army general, formerly commander of the Radin Inten Regional Military Command, was sworn in at the State Palace in Jakarta. This leadership change places intense scrutiny on the disaster agency during a national fire emergency and a widening graft probe.

Corruption investigation intensifies

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is investigating alleged misappropriation of BNPB's ready-to-use emergency funds. On October 14, the commission detained five suspects, including Bima Setyawan, the younger brother of former BNPB chief Suharyanto. Fourteen people were initially questioned. Investigators seized approximately Rp3.3 billion in cash, hundreds of grams of gold, and cryptocurrency during the operation.

KPK chairman Setyo Budiyanto stated suspected irregularities may have continued for several years. The total amount allegedly misused and the specific procurement activities involved have not yet been established. The commission has not stated that funds allocated for the ongoing wildfire response were part of the alleged corruption. The investigation has named over 200 people and nine companies as suspects in separate forest fire cases nationwide.

Haze crisis affects regional stability

Forest and peatland fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan have created a thick toxic haze affecting Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Timor-Leste, Brunei, and parts of the Philippines. School closures and health impacts have affected tens of millions. Air quality in Singapore recently reached its worst level in over a decade, prompting Prime Minister Lawrence Wong to announce investigations into companies potentially responsible.

The crisis has sparked regional diplomatic tension. Malaysian politicians have called for formal complaints to Jakarta. Singapore's foreign minister plans to raise the issue at an ASEAN meeting, and the city-state's Transboundary Haze Pollution Act allows legal action against overseas companies contributing to its haze. Indonesia has approved foreign assistance for fire-fighting, with around 70,000 personnel deployed from various agencies. Aircraft have been used to scatter dry ice pellets over South Sumatra.

Political context and accountability

The reshuffle is the third in a month and the eighth since Prabowo took office on October 20, 2024. It follows a major overhaul on October 1 that saw new foreign and industry ministers appointed. Political analyst Wasisto Raharjo Jati stated the fires damaged the government's image within ASEAN and that the BNPB reappointment was part of efforts to restore confidence domestically and internationally.

Concurrently, Prabowo appointed Satyawan Pudyatmoko as the new head of the national peatland and mangrove management agency. He also inaugurated Tandyo Budi Revita as the new army chief-of-staff. Berton Panjaitan said public services and disaster response operations would continue despite disruptions.

The new BNPB chief, Kristomei Sianturi, pledged to act quickly to tackle the fires and review the agency’s operations, stating it would not interfere with the corruption investigation. He emphasized a new standard for disaster response. "Responsiveness must be measured in minutes, not hours," Sianturi said. "That is what we will evaluate going forward, so there are no more unnecessary casualties."